Commodity sales data processing apparatus and method for controlling executable job by the same

ABSTRACT

A commodity sales data processing apparatus, including a portable information terminal having a battery and a display on which an executable job name is displayed and a docking station on which the information terminal is mounted to charge the battery, monitors whether or not the information terminal is mounted on the docking station to detect the separation therebetween. The processing apparatus restricts jobs permitted at the time the information terminal is separated from the docking station to a part of jobs permitted at the time the information terminal is mounted on the docking station if the separation between the information terminal and the docking station is detected and the display of the information terminal displays job names permitted at the time the information terminal is separated from the docking station if the separation between the information terminal and the docking station is detected.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromJapanese Patent Application No. 2013-154406, filed Jul. 25, 2013, theentire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate to a commodity sales data processingapparatus including a portable information terminal and a dockingstation and a method for controlling a job executable by the portableinformation terminal.

BACKGROUND

A POS (Point Of Sales) terminal well-known as a commodity sales dataprocessing apparatus is generally of a stationary type and is formed bymounting input/output devices, such as a keyboard, a display, a printerand the like, on a main body carrying a control unit.

In recent years, a portable information terminal carrying a touch panel,namely a tablet-type information terminal, has been popularized. If aPOS terminal is formed with such an information terminal, for example,the sales data of a commodity purchased by a customer can be registeredwhile service for customers is offered at the sales floor. This is veryconvenient for both customer and shop clerk. However, it is notpreferable to execute, except a registration function within functionsof the POS terminal, an inspection function, a settlement function and ajournal retrieval function with such a portable information terminalwhich can be used at any location on the sales floor in view of aninformation security because confidential information of a store isrequired at the time such functions are executed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a POS systemusing a commodity sales data processing apparatus according to anembodiment;

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view illustrating a commodity salesdata processing apparatus in which a information terminal is connectedwith a docking station;

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view illustrating a commodity salesdata processing apparatus in which a information terminal is separatedfrom a docking station;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a constitution of main portion ofa commodity sales data processing apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the data constitution of a jobcontrol table;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of the main informationprocessing executed by the CPU of a commodity sales data processingapparatus; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of the main informationprocessing executed by the CPU of a commodity sales data processingapparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with one embodiment, a commodity sales data processingapparatus comprising a portable information terminal carrying a batteryas a driving power supply and a docking station with which the portableinformation terminal is detachably connected, includes a monitoringmodule and a limiting module. The portable information terminal includesan input section for receiving input of the data relating to the salesprocessing of a commodity, a processing section for processing commoditysales data based on the input data, and a display section for displayingjob names executable by the portable information terminal and theprocessing result of the processing section. The docking station chargesthe battery of the portable information terminal if the portableinformation terminal is physically connected with the docking station.The monitoring module monitors whether or not the portable informationterminal is connected with the docking station to detect a disconnectionstate of the portable information terminal and the docking station. Thelimiting module restricts jobs permitted at the time the portableinformation terminal is disconnected with the docking station to a partof jobs permitted at the time the portable information terminal isconnected with the docking station if the disconnection state betweenthe portable information terminal and the docking station is detectedthrough the monitoring module, wherein the display section displays jobnames permitted at the time the portable information terminal isdisconnected with the docking station if the portable information isdisconnected with the docking station.

An embodiment of the commodity sales data processing apparatus isdescribed below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Further, acommodity sales data processing apparatus 1 which realizes functions ofa POS terminal with a tablet type portable information terminal isexemplified in the present embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a POS system 10using the commodity sales data processing apparatus 1. The POS system 10comprises a plurality of commodity sales data processing apparatuses 1and a store server 2 for unitarily managing each commodity sales dataprocessing apparatus 1. Each commodity sales data processing apparatus 1is connected with the store server 2 to carry out the bidirectionalcommunication with the store server 2 via a network 3 such as a LAN(Local Area Network) and the like. Further, at least one radio repeater4 is connected with the network 3.

Each commodity sales data processing apparatus 1 consists of a tablettype portable information terminal (hereinafter referred to as aninformation terminal) 11 and a docking station 12. The informationterminal 11 is mounted on or separated from the docking station 12, andrealizes functions of a POS terminal in not only a physically connectedor mounted state with the docking station 12 but also a physicallydisconnected or separated state. However, functions that can be achievedby the information terminal 11 in the separated state are restricted incomparison with that in the mounted state. In the present embodiment,connection refers to a state in which the information terminal 11 ismounted on the docking station 12 and disconnection refers to a state inwhich the information terminal 11 is separated from the docking station12. The information terminal 11 and the docking station 12 may be ableto carry out communication therebetween, for example, in a wirelessmanner, in the two states described above. The information terminal 11and the docking station 12 may also be able to carry out communicationtherebetween only in the connected state described above.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are external perspective views illustrating thecommodity sales data processing apparatus 1. FIG. 2 shows a first state(mounted state) in which the information terminal 11 is connected withthe docking station 12, and FIG. 3 shows a second state (separatedstate) in which the information terminal 11 is disconnected from thedocking station 12. Further, FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating aconstitution of main portion of the commodity sales data processingapparatus 1. The specific constitution of the information terminal 11and the docking station 12 is described below with reference to FIG.2-FIG. 4.

The information terminal 11 has a plate-shaped casing 51 formed in aportable size. The information terminal 11 includes a touch panel 52arranged at one of the surfaces (referred to as a front surface) of thecasing 51. Further, the information terminal 11 carries a battery 53 asa driving power supply. The information terminal 11 comprises a CPU(Central Processing Unit) 61, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 62, a RAM(Random-access Memory) 63, a clock section 64, a touch panel controller65, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector 66, a wireless unit 67 and adocking connector 68. The CPU 61 is connected with the ROM 62, the RAM63, the clock section 64, the touch panel controller 65, the USBconnector 66, the wireless unit 67 and the docking connector 68 via abus line 69 including an address bus, a data bus and the like.

The CPU 61 which is the central part of a computer controls each sectionto realize various functions of a POS terminal according to an operatingsystem and an application program.

The ROM 62 which is the main storage part of the computer stores theoperating system and application programs. As occasion demands, the ROM62 also stores data used by the CPU 61 at the time the CPU 61 executesvarious processing.

The RAM 63 which is also the main storage part of the computer storesdata used by the CPU 61 if needed at the time the CPU 61 executesvarious processing. Further, the RAM 63 may provide a work area for theCPU 61 at the time the CPU 61 carries out various processing.

The clock section 64 keeps the current date and time. The touch panel 52is constituted with a display 52 d serving as a display section and atouch sensor 52 t serving as an input section arranged on the displayportion (screen) of the display 52 d. The touch panel controller 65connected with the touch panel 52 controls the display on the screen ofthe display 52 d while monitoring the signal from the touch sensor 52 t.The touch panel controller 65 detects input data according to thecoordinate information of the touched position on the screen and thescreen information of the display 52 d at the time of the touchoperation.

The USB connector 66 is used for detachably connecting various USBdevices having a communication system conforming to the USB standard. Inthe present embodiment, a card reader/writer 5, capable for a USEconnection, which reads or writes data from or into an electronic moneycard, is connected with the USB connector 66.

The wireless unit 67 carries out data transmission/reception with theradio repeater 4 through the wireless communication.

The docking connector 68 is used for connecting the information terminal11 with the docking station 12. The docking connector 68 is arranged ona side (referred to as a back side surface) opposite to the surface ofthe casing 51 on which the touch panel 52 is arranged.

The docking station 12 has a stationary box-shaped casing 71. A readingwindow 72 for a scanner is arranged at a front side of the casing 71,and a receipt issuing opening 73 is formed at a left side of the cashing71. The upper side surface of the casing 71 is inclined towards thefront side thereof to form a mounting surface 74 for receiving theinformation terminal 11. An extension connector 75 is arranged on themounting surface 74 of the casing 71. The extension connector 75 isconnected with the docking connector 68 arranged at the back side of theinformation terminal 11 at the time the information terminal 11 ismounted on the mounting surface 74 of the casing 71. Thus, theinformation terminal 11 is electrically connected with the dockingstation 12.

In addition to the extension connector 75, as shown in FIG. 4, thedocking station 12 is equipped with at least an auxiliary storage device76, a power supply unit 77, a printer 78, a scanner 79, a communicationinterface 80 and an I/O controller 81. The extension connector 75 isconnected with the auxiliary storage device 76, the printer 78, thescanner 79, the communication interface 80 and the I/O controller 81 viaa bus line 82 including an address bus, a data bus and the like.

The auxiliary storage device 76 serves as the auxiliary storage part ofa computer. The auxiliary storage device 76 is, for example, an EEPROM(Electric Erasable Programmable Read-only Memory), an HDD (Hard DiskDrive) or an SSD (solid state drive), and the like. The auxiliarystorage device 76 stores data used in various processing carried out bythe CPU 61 of the information terminal 11 and data generated in theprocessing by the CPU 61. As occasion demands, the auxiliary storagedevice 76 stores application programs.

In the present embodiment, the identification information DSNo. K (K=1,2, 3 which is assigned in advance to identify the corresponding dockingstation 12, is stored in the auxiliary storage device 76 of each dockingstation 12.

The power supply unit 77 supplies a driving power to input/outputdevices such as the auxiliary storage device 76, the printer 78, thescanner 79 and the like. Further, the power supply unit 77 suppliespower for charging the battery 53 of the information terminal 11 via theextension connector 75.

The printer 78 prints on a sheet fed from the rolled paper, for example,in a thermal print system. The printed sheet of the rolled paper isdischarged from the receipt issuing opening 73, and is cut off to beissued as a receipt. The printer 78 is also capable of issuing a labelby using a label sheet as the rolled paper. Further, the printer 78 mayprint a sheet in another print system other than the thermal printsystem.

The scanner 79 optically reads, for example, a barcode held to thereading window 72. The scanner 79 may read the barcode attached to acommodity from the image of the commodity captured by a camera.

The communication interface 80 is connected with the network 3. Thecommunication interface 80 performs the data transmission/receptionbetween the tablet information 11 and the store server 2 via thecommunication network 3.

The I/O controller 81 is connected with an external machine such as adrawer (not shown) to control the open/close operations thereof.

The commodity sales data processing apparatus 1 consisting of theinformation terminal 11 and the docking station 12 having theaforementioned constitutions includes a job control table 90 having thedata constitution shown in FIG. 5. The job control table 90 stores a jobID, a job name and a limitation flag for each job ID. The job ID is acode for identifying each job that can be executed by the commoditysales data processing apparatus 1. The job name indicates a jobspecified by the corresponding job ID. The limitation flag providesrestriction information for identifying whether or not execution of ajob specified by the corresponding job ID is inhibited in a state inwhich the information terminal 11 is separated from the docking station12 (hereinafter referred to as a disconnection state) . In the presentembodiment, the limitation flag is “1” if the job is inhibited or “0” ifthe job is permitted.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the job specified with the job name‘sales registration’ identified by a job ID “1000” and the job specifiedwith the job name ‘returned commodity registration’ identified by a jobID “2000” are not inhibited even if the information terminal 11 isseparated from the docking station 12 (disconnection state). However,the job specified with the job name ‘inspection’ identified by a job ID“3000” and the job specified with the job name ‘settlement’ identifiedby a job ID “4000” are inhibited in the disconnection state.

The job specified with the job name ‘sales registration’ is aregistration processing in which the sales data of a commodity inputthrough the touch panel 52 is registered in a memory. The job specifiedwith the job name ‘returned commodity registration’ is a returnedcommodity processing in which the sales data of a commodity registeredis deleted from the memory. The job specified with the job name‘inspection’ is a processing in which the commodity sales dataregistered in the memory are added up according to items such as‘commodity’, ‘time zone’ and ‘cashier’ to output them as a report.Further, the job specified with the job name ‘settlement’ is aprocessing in which the memory in which the commodity sales data areregistered is cleared after a report similar to that of the inspectionis output.

The job control table 90 functions as a setting module which setsinformation (limitation flag) therein for identifying whether or noteach job which is permitted in the connection state in which theinformation terminal 11 is mounted on the docking station 12 isinhibited in the disconnection state in which the information terminal11 is separated from the docking station 12.

The job control table 90 is created in the store server 2 and isdistributed to each commodity sales data processing apparatus 1 from thestore server 2 via the network 3 to be stored in the auxiliary storagedevice 76 of each docking station 12.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are flowcharts illustrating the main procedures of aninformation processing carried out by the CPU 61 serving as theprocessing section of the commodity sales data processing apparatus 1.The procedures are based on the control program stored in the ROM 62.Further, the content of the processing shown in the flowcharts anddescribed below is merely described by way of example, and a variety ofother processing capable of achieving the same result is alsoapplicable.

For example, if a control program is started by switching on a powerswitch (not shown) arranged on the information terminal 11, the CPU 61starts the processing according to the procedure shown in theflowcharts. First, the CPU 61 carries out an initialization processing(ACT 1). The RAM 63 is cleared through the initialization processing.Further, an initial screen is displayed on the display 52 d of the touchpanel 52. An image for receiving a sign-on input for specifying the user(shop clerk, cashier and the like) of the information terminal 11 isdisplayed on the initial screen.

The CPU 61 receives the sign-on input (ACT 2). Upon receiving thesign-on input according to the image information displayed on thedisplay 12 d and the coordinate information of a touched positiondetected by the touch sensor 12 t (YES in ACT 2), the CPU 61 confirmswhether or not the information terminal 11 is connected with or mountedon the docking station 12 (ACT 3, ACT 4: monitoring module)

Specifically, the CPU 61 outputs a confirmation signal via the dockingconnector 68. The confirmation signal is returned to the dockingconnector 68 via the extension connector 75 in the connection state butnot returned to the docking connector 68, otherwise. Therefore, it isdetermined that the information terminal 11 is connected with thedocking station 12 if the confirmation signal is returned to the dockingconnector 68 via the extension connector 75 but it is determined thatthe information terminal 11 is disconnected with the docking station 12if the confirmation signal is not returned.

The constitution for confirming whether or not the information terminal11 is connected with the docking station 12 is not limited to this. Forexample, it is determined that the information terminal 11 is connectedwith the docking station 12 if the CPU 61 can successfully read anoptional data stored in the auxiliary storage device 76 of the dockingstation 12 through the docking connector 68 or that the informationterminal 11 is disconnected with the docking station 12 if the CPU 61cannot read the optional data stored in the auxiliary storage device 76.Alternatively, the docking connector 68 is provided with a sensor, forexample, which is activated to output a signal if the docking connector68 is connected with the extension connector 75. Then, it may determinewhether or not the information terminal 11 is connected with the dockingstation 12 according to the signal from the sensor.

The CPU 61 invalidates the sign-on input (control module) if it isdetermined that the information terminal 11 is disconnected with thedocking station 12 (NO in ACT 4). Then, the CPU 61 returns to ACT 2 toreceive the sign-on input again.

On the other hand, CPU 61 validates the sign-on input (control module)if it is determined that the information terminal 11 is connected withthe docking station 12 (YES in ACT 4). Then, the CPU 61 reads theidentification information DSNo.K of the docking station 12 from theauxiliary storage device 76 of the docking station 12 which is in theconnection state with the information terminal 11 and stores the readidentification information DSNo.K in a specific area of the RAM 63 (ACT5: storage module)

Sequentially, the CPU 61 carries out the sign-on processing (ACT 6) .The processing includes the following processing: reading data in thejob control table 90 from the auxiliary storage device 76 and storingthe read data in the specific area of the RAM 63.

When the sign-on processing is ended, the CPU 61 creates an unlimitedjob screen based on the data of the job control table 90 stored in theRAM 63 and displays it on the display 12 d (ACT 7). On the unlimited jobscreen, a plurality of button images are displayed, for example, in amatrix form and the job names set in the job control table 90 aredisplayed on the button images respectively. Further, an image forreceiving a sign-off input for instructing the release of the user ofthe information terminal 11 is also displayed on the unlimited jobscreen. A button image on which no job name is displayed is notdisplayed on the unlimited job screen. Thus, the number of the buttonimages is the same as that of the job IDs (job names) set in the jobcontrol table 90.

The CPU 61 confirms again in a state in which the unlimited job screenis displayed whether or not the information terminal 11 is connectedwith the docking station 12 (Act 8, Act 9: monitoring module). If it isconfirmed again that the information terminal 11 is connected with thedocking station 12 (YES in ACT 9) , the CPU 61 enters a standby stateuntil one of the jobs displayed on the unlimited job screen is selected(ACT 10) or a sign-off input is received (ACT 11).

If one of the button images on the unlimited job screen is touched, theCPU 61 determines that the job specified with the job name displayed onthe button image is selected (YES in ACT 10) . Then, the CPU 61 startsthe processing of the selected job (ACT 12) . For example, if the buttonimage on which a job name ‘sales registration’ is displayed is touched,the processing of the job specified with the job name ‘salesregistration’ is started. Similarly, if the button image on which a jobname ‘inspection’ is displayed is touched, the processing of the jobspecified with the job name ‘inspection’ is started. These jobprocessing are similar to those carried out in a well-known commoditysales data processing apparatus such as a POS terminal and are nottherefore described.

The CPU 61 returns to ACT 7 if the selected job processing is ended. TheCPU 61 changes the screen of the display 12 d back to the unlimited jobscreen.

If it is confirmed in the state in which the unlimited job screen isdisplayed that the information terminal 11 is disconnected from thedocking station 12 (NO in ACT 9), the CPU 61 creates a limited jobscreen based on the data of the job control table 90 and displays thecreated limited job screen on the display 12 d (ACT 21: limitingmodule). On the limited job screen, a plurality of button images aredisplayed, for example, in a matrix form and job names of which thecorresponding limitation flags are “0” in the job control table 90 arerespectively displayed on the button images. A button image on which nojob name is displayed is not displayed on the limited job screen. Thus,the number of the button images is the same as that of the job IDs (jobnames) of which the corresponding limitation flag is “0” in the jobcontrol table 90.

If the CPU 61 confirms in the state in which the limited job screen isdisplayed whether or not the information terminal 11 is connected withthe docking station 12 (ACT 22, ACT 23: monitoring module). The CPU 61enters a standby state until one of the jobs displayed on the limitedjob screen is selected (ACT 24) if it is confirmed that the informationterminal 11 is disconnected with the docking station 12 (NO in ACT 23).

If one of the button images on the limited job screen is touched, theCPU 61 determines that the job specified with the job name displayed onthe button image is selected (YES in ACT 24). Then, the CPU 61 startsthe processing of the selected job (ACT 25). In this case, theprocessing is also similar to that carried out by a well-known commoditysales data processing apparatus and is not therefore described.

If it is confirmed in the state in which the limited job is displayedthat the information terminal 11 is connected with the docking station12 (YES in ACT 23), the CPU 61 reads the identification informationDSNo.K of the docking station 12 from the auxiliary storage device 76 ofthe connected docking station 12. Then, the CPU 61 determines whether ornot the read identification information is identical with theidentification information DSNo.K stored in a specific area of the RAM63 in the processing in ACT 5 (ACT 26).

The CPU 61 displays a message indicating a connection error on thedisplay 52 d (ACT 27: notification module) if the read identificationinformation is not identical with the identification information DSNo.Kstored in the specific area of the RAM 63 (NO in ACT 26). Then, the CPU61 enters a standby state until the information terminal 11 isdisconnected from the docking station 12 (ACT 28, ACT 29). If it isconfirmed that the information terminal 11 is disconnected from thedocking station 12 (NO in ACT 29), the CPU 61 erases the messageindicating the error (ACT 30). Then, the CPU 61 returns to ACT 22.

The CPU 61 returns to ACT 7 if the read identification information isidentical with the identification information DSNo.K stored in thespecific area of the RAM 63 (YES in ACT 26). The CPU 61 changes thescreen of the display 12 d back to the unlimited job screen.

If the sign-off input is received in the state in which the unlimitedjob screen is displayed (YES in ACT 11), the CPU 61 executes a sign-offprocessing (ACT 13). The sign-off processing includes the followingprocessing: transmitting various data stored in the RAM 63 of theinformation terminal to the auxiliary storage device 76 of the connecteddocking station 12. The sign-off processing further includes aprocessing of erasing the screen of the display 12 d.

The control program is stopped if the sign-off processing is ended. Inthis way, the CPU 61 ends the processing.

Thus, the commodity sales data processing apparatus according to thepresent embodiment consists of the information terminal 11 carrying thebattery 53 as a driving power supply and the docking station 12 equippedwith an extension connector 75. The information terminal 11 is equippedwith the docking connector 68 which can be connected with the extensionconnector 75 and thus the information terminal 11 is detachablyconnected with the docking station 12 through the connection between theextension connector 75 and the docking connector 68.

The battery 53 is charged as long as the information terminal 11 ismounted on the docking station 12. Further, a user can sign on for theoperation as a cashier on the information terminal 11. If a user (e.g.shop clerk) carries out a sign-on input through the touch panel 52, thenthe sign-on becomes valid. Then, the unlimited job screen is displayedon the touch panel 52 (display 52 d).

At this time, all jobs, including an inspection job and a settlement jobin addition to registration jobs such as a sales registration job and areturned commodity registration job, can be executed through theinformation terminal 11.

If the user separates the information terminal 11 from the dockingstation 12, the screen of the touch panel 52 is switched to the limitedjob screen on which only the jobs of which the limitation flag is “0” inthe job control table 90 are displayed and the jobs displayed can beexecuted. On the other hand, the jobs of which the limitation flag is“1” are not displayed on the limited job screen and thus such jobscannot be executed. For example, in a state in which the job controltable 90 is set as shown in FIG. 5, a sales registration job and areturned commodity registration job can be executed through theinformation terminal 11. However, an inspection job and a settlement jobfor which confidential information of the shop is required cannot beexecuted.

If the user mounts the information terminal 11 on the docking station 12again, the screen of the touch panel 52 is returned to the unlimited jobscreen. Thus, as stated above, execution of the inspection job andsettlement job which is inhibited as long as the information terminal 11is disconnected with the docking station 12 can be permitted.

Besides, if the user mounts the information terminal 11 on a dockingstation other than the docking station 12 which is mounted on theinformation terminal 11 at the time the user executes the sign-on inputthrough the information terminal 11, an error message is displayed onthe touch panel because the identification information (DSNo.K1) readfrom the docking station on which the information terminal is mounted isnot identical with the identification information (DSNo.K2) stored inthe specific area of the RAM 63 of the information terminal 11. In thiscase, the error message is erased if the user separates the informationterminal 11 from the incorrect docking station 12. Then, if the usermounts the information terminal 11 again on the correct docking station,the unlimited job screen is displayed on the touch panel 52 of theinformation terminal 11.

In this way, the commodity sales data processing apparatus comprisingthe information terminal 11 and the docking station 12 according to thepresent embodiment can restrict the jobs that can be executed by theinformation terminal 11 in a state in which the information terminal 11is separated from the docking station 12 (disconnection state) accordingto the job control table 90 in which the jobs that are inhibited in thedisconnection state can be distinguished from all the jobs that arepermitted in the connection state. Thus, an inspection job, a settlementjob and a journal retrieval job and the like for which the confidentialinformation of a store is required can be easily inhibited to theinformation terminal 11 in the disconnection state.

Further, the same jobs as described above can be inhibited in a casealso in which the information terminal 11 is connected with the dockingstation 12 (incorrect station) other than the docking station (correctstation) which is connected at the time the user executes the sign-oninput.

The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments.

For example, a sales registration job, a returned commodity registrationjob, an inspection job and a settlement job are exemplified in theaforementioned embodiment as all the jobs that can be executed by thecommodity sales data processing apparatus, however, the jobs that can beexecuted by the commodity sales data processing apparatus are notlimited to those. Similarly, the jobs which are not permitted at thetime the information terminal 11 is disconnected with the dockingstation 12 are not limited to the inspection job and the settlement job.

Further, the job control table 90 is described in the aforementionedembodiment, however, the selection of jobs permitted or inhibitedaccording to the connection or disconnection state between theinformation terminal and the docking station may be fixedly set with aprogram, instead of the job control table 90. Thus, the memory size ofthe auxiliary storage device can be saved.

In the aforementioned embodiment, only the job names of which thelimitation flag is “0” in the job control table 90 are respectivelydisplayed on the button images on the limited job screen, however, thepresent invention is not limited to this. For example, the button imageson which all the job names set in the job control table are displayed onthe limited job screen as similar to the unlimited job screen but thejob limitation can be achieved such that the input operation of thebutton images on which the job names inhibited in the disconnectionstate are displayed are disabled, or are not effected even if the inputoperation of such button images are accepted.

The commodity sales data processing apparatus is generally transferredwhile a program such as a control program and the like is stored in aROM. However, the present invention is not limited to this; a controlprogram which can be transferred independent from a computer may bewritten into a writable storage device provided in the computeraccording to the operation of a user. The commodity sales dataprocessing apparatus may be transferred while the control program isrecorded in a removable recording medium or is transferred through thecommunication via a network. The recording medium may be of any form aslong as the recording medium can store a program like a CD-ROM, a memorycard and the like and is apparatus-readable. Further, the functionsachieved by an installed or downloaded program can also be realizedthrough the cooperation with an OS (Operating System) in the apparatus.

However, the connection between the information terminal 11 and thedocking station 12 is not limited to a contact-type connection with aconnector. For example, the information terminal 11 may be poweredthrough a non-contact charging with an electromagnetic induction inaccordance with Qi standard, and the confirmation of the connectionbetween the information terminal 11 and the docking station 12, and thecommunication therebetween may be realized through a proximity wirelesscommunication such as Bluetooth and NFC (Near Field Communication).

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments havebeen presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit thescope of the invention. Indeed, the novel embodiments described hereinmay be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, variousomissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodimentsdescribed herein may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended tocover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope andspirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A commodity sales data processing apparatuscomprising: a portable information terminal, carrying a battery as adriving power supply, including; an input section configured to receivethe input of data relating to the sales processing of a commodity, aprocessing section configured to process a commodity sales data based onthe input data, and a display section configured to display job namesexecutable by the portable information terminal and the processingresult of the processing section; a docking station, with which theportable information terminal is detachably connected, configured tocharge the battery of the portable information terminal if the portableinformation terminal is connected with the docking station; a monitoringmodule configured to monitor whether or not the portable informationterminal is connected with the docking station to detect a disconnectionstate of the portable information terminal and the docking station; anda limiting module configured to restrict jobs permitted at the time theportable information terminal is disconnected with the docking stationto a part of jobs permitted at the time the portable informationterminal is connected with the docking station if the disconnectionstate between the portable information terminal and the docking stationis detected through the monitoring module, wherein the display sectiondisplays job names permitted at the time the portable informationterminal is disconnected with the docking station if the disconnectionstate is detected.
 2. The commodity sales data processing apparatusaccording to claim 1 further comprising a setting module configured toset information for specifying, for each job permitted in the connectionstate of the portable information terminal and the docking station,whether or not the job is permitted in the disconnection state of theportable information terminal and the docking station, wherein thelimiting module restricts jobs permitted in the disconnection statebased on the information set by the setting module.
 3. The commoditysales data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inputsection receives a sign-on input as a data for specifying a user and theapparatus further includes a control module configured to validate thesign-on input if the connection state is detected through the monitoringmodule or invalidate the sign-on input if the disconnection state isdetected through the monitoring module when the sign-on input isreceived through the input section.
 4. The commodity sales dataprocessing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the docking stationhas an identification information for identifying the docking stationthat has the identification information and the portable informationterminal further includes a storage module configured to store theidentification information of the docking station connected with theportable information terminal if the sign-on input is valid and anotification module configured to notify, when the portable informationterminal is changed from the connection state with the docking stationto the connection state through the disconnection state, an error if theidentification information of the currently connected docking station isnot identical with the stored identification information.
 5. Thecommodity sales data processing apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe docking station further includes a connector for detachablyconnecting with the portable information terminal to charge the batteryof the portable information terminal connected with the connector, andthe monitoring module monitors whether or not the portable informationterminal is connected with the docking station via the connector.
 6. Thecommodity sales data processing apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe portable information terminal is a tablet type terminal whichintegrates the input section and the display section as a touch panel.7. A method for controlling job by a commodity sales data processingapparatus including a portable information terminal having a battery anda display on which an executable job name is displayed, and a dockingstation with which the portable information terminal is connected tocharge the battery, including: monitoring whether or not the portableinformation terminal is connected with the docking station to detect adisconnection state between the portable information terminal and thedocking station; restricting the jobs permitted in a state in which theportable information terminal is disconnected with the docking stationto a part of the jobs permitted in a state in which the portableinformation terminal is connected with the docking station if thedisconnection state is detected; and displaying the job names permittedat the time the portable information terminal is disconnected with thedocking station if the disconnection state is detected.
 8. The methodaccording to claim 7, wherein the portable information terminal has afirst connector and the docking station has a second connector, whereinthe detecting the disconnection state is confirmed by monitoring theconnection between the first connector and the second connector.